


Memories

by LuckyLadyLily



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, F/F, F/M, Hypothermia, I love widowmaker, I think that covers the potential triggers, It is intended to be happy, Near Death, Suicidal Thoughts, but it doesn't cover all the parts that make it happy, just the part that makes the happy ending possible
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2020-11-26 18:02:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20934416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyLadyLily/pseuds/LuckyLadyLily
Summary: The end of Widowmaker.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The basic conceit I have for this fic is that Widowmaker's memory has been suppressed to make it easier to control her.
> 
> Written from a prompt: "I'd love to see a story on that adorable Widowtracily AU from a while back, Widow tasked with spying on Lena but instead finds her memories returning when she listens to them in their apartment. Just something soft and fluffy."
> 
> THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SOFT AND FLUFFY INSTEAD YOU GET ANGST I AM SORRY

Widowmaker sat and waited, watching the seconds tick by, hunched against the small barrier on the side of the roof, hunched tight in on herself under her heavy coat to fend off the cold. She stayed in place when the storm hit, pulling up her heavy hood but otherwise making no move to find shelter, cracking a pair of heat packs to keep herself warm.

She could hear activity below. Lena was humming to herself, moving around the apartment. Based on the clanking of pots she was cooking something.

Widowmaker checked her watch. Emily would be home soon. She couldn’t miss it.

When Widowmaker heard the door open her heart jumped.

“Em!” Lena exclaimed.

Zip!

Lena blinked to her girlfriend every night when they greeted. Widowmaker had been listening for five days, Lena had never failed to greet her as if they had been separated for weeks.

There was a short pause while they kissed, then they asked about each other’s days. Lena had spent most of her day resting, but she had been to therapy. Yes, she had eaten lunch, yes she had been taking care of herself. She had also cried while Emily was gone, but she didn’t tell her that.

Emily’s day had been hard too. Their micro collider had fallen out of alignment. They had to cancel a time sensitive experiment so it could be repaired. Lots of paperwork, a significant setback. She was glad to be home.

She listened long into the night, a layer of snow forming on her shoulders and hood as she sat huddled against the storm. They ate dinner together, watched a movie together, talked about their plans for the holidays, fell asleep together. Nothing strategically or tactically useful to Talon, just casual gestures of intimacy. Widowmaker stayed in place, leaning against the low wall for a long time even after all she could hear was Emily’s gentle breathing and Lena’s occasional snore.

she finally moved, heading back to the room she had rented for the surveillance mission. She opened her laptop, typing out a quick message, encrypting it, and sending it.

_ Surveillance Day 6: Nothing of tactical or strategic significance to report. _

That wasn’t true. Lena’s mental illness was of at least strategic significance. But it seemed… wrong. Perhaps she needed another adjustment from Moira. She should return to base, report this unusual impulse. She didn’t want to. She wanted to listen to Lena and Emily tomorrow.

The realization hit Widowmaker hard. She couldn’t remember ever _ wanting _ something, not like this. There were emotions but they were shallow, they never influenced her beyond the moment or a passing desire. This was different. A raging fire in her chest the built and built until it burnt her out and left nothing behind but an aching void and pain. It hurt as bad as any wound she could remember. She should go back to Moira. She would fix it.

Except if she went back they wouldn't let her come near Lena and Emily again. She would never hear Lena's laugh, or Emily fussing over if Lena had forgotten her medication, or even their gentle breathing side by side as they slept.

_ Why does that matter so much? _

That night she dreams of a woman, young and happy and full of life. That morning she searches for the name Amélie Lacroix. She learns about Swan Lake, a castle somewhere in France, and a man named Gérard. She begins to remember.

Widowmaker sat and waited, watching the seconds tick by. This time when Emily returns it is different. They share dinner, she remembers the first night she cooked for him. Emily tells Lena about her day, she remembers how he would listen to her excited rambling about her latest production. They lay down together, she remembers the way he used to kiss her forehead when he thought she was asleep. Everything Widowmaker hears brings a new memory to the surface. The fire in her heart burns brighter and more painful than she could have ever imagined.

She doesn't know how long she is on the roof after they fall asleep. She wonders if it might be better for her to simply fade away in the freezing night. It would hurt less. But is that what he would want for her?

_ For you I will try. _

Amélie rises to her feet, half frozen to death, hardly able to move. She finds the roof access door, smashing the lock with her rifle. She stumbles inside and forcing herself to take each painful step, moving down the stairwell. She finds Lena’s apartment, leans against the wall and bangs hard as she can on the door. There is no answer.

_ I will not die here. _

Amélie slides down to her knees and her eyes drift closed. She is so tired. She hits the door again and again. There is a voice. The door opens and Amélie collapses.

“It’s three o’clock, what do you - Oh bloody hell!”

“Help… me…”


	2. Chapter 2

“What do we do with her? Do we call an ambulance?” Emily asked.

“We can’t. If she gets in government hands… if she’s lucky they put her in a cell somewhere and throw away the key. Thing is, Angie says it’s not her fault. Talon did something to her, messed with her head.” Lena said.

“Overwatch then?” Emily suggested.

“If we do that then Overwatch is officially harboring a war criminal. We’ve been able to operate because a lot of important nations have been looking the other way and we are useful. If Overwatch doesn’t turn over Widowmaker immediately that all changes. We can keep this secret awhile before we need to make a decision, so I want to avoid involving Overwatch until I know what is happening.”

Widowmaker was in their bed, covered in blankets and a heating pad. She was ice cold, but Lena really had no idea what her temperature was supposed to be. To be safe they had simply decided to do whatever she could to warm her up. Emily and Lena were now sitting next to the bed, looking down at her, trying to decide what to do next.

“Why is she even here?” Emily asked, turning to Lena. Lena continued staring down at Widowmaker, holding both her pulse pistols just in case.

“Surveillance. She must have been on the roof, keeping tabs on us. Something happened, so she came down here for help. I need to know what happened, then I can make a decision.”

“I’ve never seen you this serious before.” Emily commented.

Lena turned to Emily and smiled.

“You usually don’t see me dealing with Talon. Ever since Mondatta… Well, some things are serious.”

“Yeah.”

A few silent moments passed while both women considered the situation.

“Not the most comforting thought that Talon has been watching our home.” Emily said. “Is it safe to have her in here? Is she going to wake up and attack us?”

“Probably not?” Lena said with a shrug. “She is half dead and unconscious, I can’t see her being that much of a threat even if she did.”

“Do you think she survives the night?”

“I hope so. I knew her before Talon got to her, I want to help her if I can.” Lena said. 

They sat for a few moments longer in silence before Lena sighed and stood up. 

“Well, no point in sitting here and running in circles in my head. I am going to check out if I can find her surveillance equipment, see if I can get any answers.” Lena said. She handed Emily one of her pulse pistols. “If she wakes up before I get back don’t let her move. Your safety comes first?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Asked for prompts, got an ask for more memories so I did a short chapter, then I got another ask for even more and decided to do another short chapter, so sorry for the rapid fire chapters, they probably should have just been one chapter but oh well.

Widowmaker had woken up hours ago. She’d been asking Lena questions ever since. Did we know each other? Was I friends with others in Overwatch? Who am I? 

Emily mostly sat and listened, getting to know Amélie Lacroix the same way Widowmaker was. She had been kind, a friend to everyone in Overwatch, part of their family; She was one of them as much as any of the agents had been. She was fierce, with the kind of determination it took to become a world class ballerina. She could be stubborn and had a competitive streak. She and Gérard had been seeing Angela before the incident. 

She wanted to know everything about Gérard. It broke Emily’s heart, they had taken everything from her, even the memories of her beloved. Emily tried to imagine being in her place, left with only vague impressions of Lena and a gaping chasm in her soul. She struggled to imagine anything worse.

And she was proud. Lena’s greatest enemy had shown up on her doorstep and all Lena wanted to do was help. She was so kind, so understanding as Widowmaker struggled to order her thoughts. The poor woman was so confused as memories of her life began to surface. She’d sometimes repeat questions, the topic of conversation jumped wildly from subject to subject, she’d burst into tears and Lena would hold her, giving her comfort. _You're safe now, they won't take you back, I’ll protect you._

Lena’s pulse pistols lay forgotten on the nightstand, replaced with hot cocoa for the three to share as the sun rose over the horizon.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this please consider following my blog:
> 
> [LuckyLadyLily](https://luckyladylily.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I post writing updates, talk about what I am writing, answer questions, ask followers what my wife should draw, and do basically whatever I want over there. It is intended to be safe for teenagers. I take all prompts and write them down in a list but give zero promises of if or when they will be filled. I think this prompt was given 4 months before being written.


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